


Hazel eyes

by brightasstars



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Land I Lost - Ghost of the Shadowmarket
Genre: Domestic Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Happy Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Hazel-Eyed Alec Lightwood, Immortal parents, Lightwood-Banes Being a Family, M/M, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood Fluff, Memories, Parents Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, Talking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,238
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24494959
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brightasstars/pseuds/brightasstars
Summary: A quiet evening at the Lightwood-Banes, with family feels, and a cozy talk between Alec and Magnus (Thanks to my dear friend Phoenixstar73)
Relationships: Magnus Bane & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 20
Kudos: 148
Collections: Fluff vs. Angst Battle 2020





	Hazel eyes

**Author's Note:**

> Where did this one came from? I don't know. I just know that I have been inspired by the song Hazel Eyes (j. solomon) while listening to it with @Skylar102 on the Malec Discord Server.  
> What more can I say?  
> A celebration of Malec's love (and Alec's eyes...of course)

Alec stands up from his chair, stacks the plates in one pile, and then collects the cutlery too.

He manages to put on top the four empty glasses and heads toward the kitchen’s counter.

“Dad?”, Rafe calls him, “why do you always clear the table when dad has magic for this? Wouldn’t it be handy if he did it?”

“ _Migc_ , yes,” Max tries to reiterate as he climbs onto Magnus’ lap.

Alec doesn’t answer straightaway. He believes that things you say to children leave more trails than what people usually think they do, and Magnus knows that his husband is thinking about the best answer to give Rafe, so he waits, in silence, for Alec to share.

Alec opens the tap and lets the water run until it’s heated enough and starts washing.

“I know, Rafe,” he begins to say, “but you shouldn’t expect someone to do something just because he has the powers or the abilities to do that. The fact that dad has magic doesn’t mean that he’s supposed to solve each and every problem or hassle, nor that the house chores should be all on his shoulders. More also, it’s a way for me to show him that he can rely on me, that I can help, that I care, that I like doing things for him, for all of you. It’s a way of showing my love, my feelings through my daily actions. Small things mean so much, Rafe. They count."

By the end of the talk, he has finished washing the dishes.

“Oh dad, you make washing dishes such a romantic thing to do…,” Rafe states.

Magnus smiles and adds, “He always makes normal and ordinary things special, doesn’t he?”

“Everything can be romantic Rafe, it depends on the way you do it, on the love and care you put in it,” Alec says and turns to face his family.

He has never thought that one day he would have been allowed to have a family he could call his own. A real one. A loving husband that loves him back and two wonderful kids. 

“That’s the magic kids, making each day and moment special.”

Max is sleeping sprawled on Magnus’ chest. His breath is heavy and his eyes move under his closed eyelids.

Magnus looks at Alec, and the way his husband looks at him never fails to make him feel treasured, in a way he cannot explain through words. Sometimes he still can’t believe that he is the reason and likewise the object of such a deep and encompassing feeling, something that it’s even beyond love.

He sighs savoring the taste of being cherished and cared for that much.

“Bedtime Rafe, come on,” Magnus says, knowing that it still takes longer for Rafe to fall asleep and relax. 

The kid pouts but stands up. Alec comes closer and halts, standing beside Magnus, he leans down and kisses his husband on his temple, gently. 

“I’ll tell him a story, go and take a bath, you look tired. I’ll be with you soon,” he strokes Magnus cheek as he straightens up, and stretches his arms forward, opening them for Magnus to land Max on them.

As Alec’s cradles Max against his chest, Magnus nods, and murmurs a breathy _Thank you_.

They never fail to notice which of them needs a moment for himself, and they always have each other's back, taking turns with the kids, and with the never-ending demands that are coming from their siblings, and their jobs.

Rafe looks at them and in seeing Alec holding Max so tight against his chest, he reminds of the first time his father has scooted him up inside his big protective arms. It had felt so good, so safe. Rafe, for the first time in his life, had felt safe. He never wants that feeling to go away, he never wants to lose it. Rafe knows from experience that life is cruel and people often do mean things to each other. He has seen it, living alone in the streets of Buenos Aires. He has been hurt by the ones he trusted more.

He has seen people loving each other and then fighting, or running away. 

He lingers his gaze one moment more on those two big strong men that look at each other with so much tenderness and asks, “Dads, why people hurt the ones they love?”

Magnus frowns and looks at his son, then at Alec, asking him silently if he can guess or knows where does this question comes from, but Alec shakes his head, and shrugs. Magnus looks at Rafe again, smiling.

“I don’t know Rafe, but sometimes it happens. Sometimes we find ourselves hurting the people we love the most, even if we don’t want to. But… what I know for sure is that wounds can be sealed and it’s never too late to say you’re sorry.”

Rafe seems to believe each word his father is telling him.

“Have you ever hurt dad?,” Rafe asks Magnus, staring deeply in his eyes.

Magnus swallows. It has been not that long ago, though it seems another life too. They have changed so much, they have gone through a lot, they have been many times close to the point of losing each other forever, before being gifted with a never-ending future.

Alec expects Magnus to dodge the question. His husband instead has other plans.

“Yes, I did Rafe. More than once, sadly, and not a day goes by that I don’t regret it,” and he smiles.

Rafe turns and looks at Alec who answers straightaway without even waiting for him to ask.

“I did too, Rafe, and more than one time, but we've made amends and we are improving, day after day, Max. We know our weaknesses and vulnerabilities better than we did before, we still make mistakes, but we don't rub it in. On the days we are feeling bad, or angry, we try not to get it out on each other. And when it happens, we apologize and forgive.”

Rafe seems satisfied with their answers. He grabs the hand Alec has extended toward him and follows his father in his room.

“Hey little snorer,” Magnus whispers in the darkness of the children’s room and leaves a feather kiss on Alec’s forehead. Alec grunts and turns toward him. “You’ve fallen asleep darling, come on, let’s go to bed.” Magnus tugs Alec’s arm and lets his hand slide down until their fingers entwine.

“I’m the worst husband ever. I always fall asleep with them instead of coming to you,” Alec growls.

“I might object my dear that you’re the best husband ever, because I had a wonderful, long, and relaxing bath, knowing that you probably would have fallen asleep with them,” and he giggles.

“I take back what I just said…you’re the worst. Taking a long bath without waking me… I could get offended by that.” Alec’s brows are playfully furrowed, but he can’t contain a burst of laughter as Magnus sticks his tongue out. 

Alec puts his arm around Magnus’ shoulders as they tiptoe to the bedroom, trying to do their best not to wake Max, the light sleeper.

Alec is folding his pants and t-shirt and leaves them on the red velvet chair beside his nightstand, when Magnus hugs him from behind, covering Alec’s back with his chest, and resting his cheek between his shoulder blades. Alec inhales a surprised breath and relaxes into the warm touch of his husband’s skin. Alec knows by the way Magnus touches him when there’s something in his mind that he needs to tell. He stills his movements and waits for him to speak.

“Why do you think Rafe has come up with such a question? They have never seen us arguing, not even discussing heatedly.”

Alec turns inside Magnus's arms and rests his cheek on his temple and hair. He sighs.

“When I was his age, I remember I was always scared that my parents could split. They were happy back then, I had no reason at all to fear that. I think he just wants to be reassured that we love each other to the point of telling the truth, say that we are sorry, forgive, and move on. And that if we ever argue we’re not going to open the door and run away from this life we have built together, leaving them alone.”

Magnus kisses him on his collarbone.

“Which one has hurt the most?”, Magnus asks.

Alec doesn’t know what Magnus is talking about.

“Was it when I told you that I could never be happy again without my magic? Or when I told you that you had always wanted me to become a mundane?”. Magnus’s voice trembles on his last words and his arms quiver around Alec’s waist. “Or was it when I stormed outside of your office after you lied to me about the Soul Sword?”

Alec pulls back just a little bit, far enough to look his husband in his eyes. He cradles Magnus’ face in his hands, his fingers gently brushing his shaved hair, and bends to kiss him. On his forehead first, then his nose, finally on his lips.

“None of these, Magnus. When you lost your magic, you weren’t yourself, you never meant to say those things to me, I knew it back then as I know it now. The Soul Sword? Well, I did lie to you in the first place, so… I think you were right to be angry at me. We were just at the beginning of our relationship and I still regret that lie, even now that we’re married. If I could turn back time, I would never do that again."

Magnus tilts his head up and kisses Alec again. Alec isn’t expecting Magnus to continue this talk still, his husband surprises him, again.

“So when? Now you have to tell me, because I really can’t figure out another moment in which I have behaved more hurtfully than that.”

“Magnus… “, he tries to make him recede, but Magnus stares at him, his gaze still, his eyes fixed in Alec’s ones, waiting, just waiting.

Alec sighs and smiles. “Do you remember the Cabinet? The one where the Queen spoke in the name of the whole Downworld?”. Magnus's heart skips a bit. How could he ever forget that day? He was barely able to keep it together and not fall apart. “You didn’t look at me, not even once. Not even when I called you. Twice. I just wanted to look into your eyes one more time. I wanted to see that you loved me, even if you had to choose. I wanted to look into those eyes and just know that we were on the same page, desperately in love and hurting. But you never looked at me back. That hurt me more than anything you ever did or said.”

Magnus brings his palm up to his husband’s cheek and caresses him. “I’m surprised, Alexander, or maybe, I’m not surprised at all. That has been the most hurting moment for me too. I desperately wanted to come to you, hug you, kiss you, say that I loved you…but I couldn’t.”

Alec brushes his nose on Magnus’, their foreheads touch, and he lets his lips linger on that goatee that he loves so much. It feels good being able to talk about things that once hurt you so much, holding your husband in your arms, being able to kiss him, and relax into his tender embrace, letting all the pain flood and disappear. No, Alec thinks. Pain hasn’t disappeared, it has transformed into a permanent soft blanket that covers his heart, and protects the things he treasures most. It makes him remember how exposed, cold and, lost he would feel if he would ever lose them. Living with Magnus, loving him, has tranformed his anger, rage and, pain into this permanent, unalienable certainty of what is important to him, of what he lives for.

“Why didn’t you ever look at me then, not even once, not even for one brief moment?”

“Alexander, I just couldn’t…, they would have caught me…”

Alec cocks his head, like a puppy waiting for an explanation. “Caught you? Doing what?” Alec asks with that utter innocence that makes him so _Alec_.

“Stuck stargazing into your hazel eyes.”

Alec’s face opens in a wide smile.

“You were scared they’d notice? With all that stuff going on? I mean Magnus…seriously”, Alec giggles. Something about Magnus's frailties never fails to amaze him.

“Alexander, I never understood why, and I still find it difficult to believe it, but it seems that I can make your eyes sparkle, even when I hurt you, your eyes glow for me…, I knew that if I looked at you, I could never hide my feelings or pretend that I didn’t love you anymore, but you have to know, that I felt like dying.”

Alec swallows and thinks about what Brother Zachariah has told Magnus on that night he wanted to erase his memories of Alec – _Some words are too important not to be spoken aloud_ \--, he stares at Magnus so intensely that Magnus almost wants to divert his eyes from him.

“That’s the flame you ignited in me. That’s a light that never goes out. No matter what. Every time you’ll look at me, my eyes will shine for you. Always.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for readind!
> 
> Leave me Malec prompts on tumblr at @brightsasstars  
> or send me numbered prompts from this list: https://brightasstars.tumblr.com/post/619981178288619520/fanfiction-trope-mash-up


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